9M2PJU APRS Bot

9M2PJU APRS Bot

📡 9M2PJU APRS Bot – Easy User Guide

Callsign: 9M2PJU-4
Platform: FreeBSD

🌟 What Is It?

The 9M2PJU APRS Bot is your all-in-one digital assistant for APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System). It provides real-time info right through APRS messaging — from weather forecasts and satellite passes to location tracking and even nearby cafes!

Whether you’re on the air from a mountain summit, chasing weather balloons, or just checking conditions before heading out, this bot has you covered.


🎯 What Can the Bot Do?

Here’s a quick look at its top features:

  • 🌦️ Weather – Check weather forecasts, temperature, wind, humidity, and more.
  • 📍 Locations – See where you are or track other stations.
  • 🌅 Sun & Moon – Find sunrise, sunset, and moon phases.
  • 🛰️ Satellites – Get ISS passes or frequencies for ham satellites.
  • 🎈 Radiosondes – Predict where weather balloons will land.
  • 🗺️ Map Search – Find nearby spots like restaurants, hospitals, ATMs.
  • 📧 Email Sharing – Send your location to someone by email.

🚀 Getting Started

You’ll Need:

  • An APRS-capable radio (with messaging),
  • OR an APRS app on your phone (like APRSdroid or aprs.fi),
  • OR APRS software on your PC (like Xastir or UIView32).

How to Connect:

  • RF: Radio → Digipeater → iGate → Internet.
  • Internet: APRS-IS directly via an app or PC software.
  • Hybrid: Use both radio and internet for full coverage.

📂 How to Use It (Commands Overview)

Commands are simple text messages sent to the bot. Here are the main types:

🌦️ Weather

Ask for the forecast or current weather.

Examples:

today                 → Today's weather
tomorrow              → Tomorrow's weather
50634 monday          → Weather for ZIP 50634 on Monday
new york tuesday      → Weather for New York on Tuesday
temp                  → Current temperature
wind                  → Wind info

📍 Location & Tracking

Get your own location, find others, or check distance and direction.

Examples:

whereami              → Your location
whereis 9m2pju-8      → Location of another station
track 9m2pju-5        → Track that station's recent positions
distance 9m2pju-3     → How far away they are
bearing 9m2pju-7      → Which direction to head

🌅 Sunrise & Moonrise

Know when the sun or moon rises and sets at your location.

Examples:

riseset               → Full sun/moon schedule
sunrise               → Sunrise time today
moonset               → Moonset time today
goldenhour            → Best light for photos
moonphase             → Current moon phase

🛰️ Satellites

Find out when a satellite will pass or what frequencies it uses.

Examples:

satpass iss           → When ISS passes next
satfreq noaa-19       → NOAA satellite frequency
satpass ao-91         → Ham satellite pass info

🎈 Weather Balloons (Radiosondes)

Track weather balloons and see where they’ll likely land.

Examples:

sonde EB123           → Predict landing of radiosonde EB123
landing S4710234      → Landing forecast
predict               → Active sondes in your area

🗺️ Map Searches (via OpenStreetMap)

Find nearby places using common keywords.

Examples:

aerodrome             → Nearby airports or airstrips  
alpine_hut            → Mountain huts and shelters  
ambulance_station     → Ambulance bases and emergency services  
atm                   → ATM machines  
bakery                → Bakeries and pastry shops  
bank                  → Banks and financial institutions  
butcher               → Butcher shops  
cafe                  → Cafes and coffee shops  
school                → Primary and secondary schools  
car_rental            → Car rental services  
car_repair            → Car workshops and garages  
charging_station      → Electric vehicle charging points  
chemist               → Chemist or pharmacy  
clinic                → Medical clinics  
college               → Colleges and technical institutions  
deli                  → Delicatessen shops  
dentist               → Dental clinics  
doctor                → General medical practitioners  
drinking_water        → Public drinking water taps  
dry_cleaning          → Laundry and dry-cleaning services  
electronics           → Electronics and gadget shops  
fire_station          → Fire departments  
fuel                  → Petrol or gas stations  
hairdresser           → Hair salons and barber shops  
hospital              → Hospitals and medical centers  
hostel                → Budget lodging and hostels  
hotel                 → Hotels and accommodations  
information           → Tourist or local information centers  
laundry               → Coin-operated or full-service laundromats  
mall                  → Shopping malls and complexes  
motorcycle            → Motorcycle sales or repair shops  
optician              → Opticians and eyewear stores  
pharmacy              → Pharmacies and drugstores  
phone                 → Mobile phone retailers  
photographer          → Photography services or studios  
police                → Police stations  
post_box              → Public mail drop boxes  
post_office           → Post offices  
pub                   → Bars and pubs  
shoes                 → Shoe shops and cobblers  
subway                → Subway or underground train stations  
supermarket           → Grocery stores and supermarkets  
taxi                  → Taxi stands or services  
telephone             → Public telephone booths  
tobacco               → Tobacco shops or kiosks  
toilets               → Public restrooms  
train_station         → Railway or train stations  
university            → Universities and higher education campuses

You’ll get the name, distance, direction, and sometimes even address and phone number.

📧 Send Location by Email

You can email your location (or someone else’s) with a command.

Examples:

posmsg user@domain.com           → Send your location to an email
posmsg user@domain.com msg       → Include a custom message

The email includes coordinates, timestamp, Maidenhead grid, and a map link.


🔧 Troubleshooting Tips

❌ No Bot Response?

  • The bot may be offline.
  • APRS network or iGate issue.
  • Try again after a minute or two.

❌ “Invalid Command” Error?

  • Check your spelling.
  • Refer to this guide’s examples.
  • Use simple formats first (e.g., just try “today”).

❌ “Location Not Found”?

  • The station may not be active.
  • Check the callsign.
  • Try another known active station.

❌ Weather Not Available?

  • Try using a city name or ZIP code.
  • Remote locations may have limited data.
  • Try again later.

💡 Pro Tips for Using the Bot

  • Don’t spam too many messages at once — wait 30–60 seconds for replies.
  • Keep your APRS messages short and simple.
  • Remember: APRS is a public system. Anyone can see your data!

🌍 Works Worldwide

  • The bot supports all time zones and many languages.
  • Weather, satellite, and map services are available globally.
  • Some remote areas might have limited data, but most features still work.

📚 Learn More About APRS